 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: graham
Date: 2011-09-19 13:12
When I saw that Acker and his band were playing at my local concert hall (all of ten minutes walk from my house) I thought I couldn't miss it, having never heard him live up to that point, but owning two of his LPs.
That was up to last Saturday when I sat down in an auditorium filled with people whose pensions had begun to be drawn many years ago. Acker walked (very slowly) onto the platform and they started up. I got an immediate surprise. In the cut and thrust of a live set up with his fellow (largely brilliant) players, the crude breathy and whiskery noise I expected refused to emerge. The tone was opulent and round. Mellow and warm (and what Americans call "dark"). It was just a complete pleasure. The chewy vibrato worked brilliantly.
He only played two ballads (one of which you can guess) and even though the sound moved a little towards his expected sound per the records, it never arrived there. To be honest, it was all very pleasant.
And he stood to one side of the group. They all had their solo slots, and all played the expected number of solo breaks in each of the trad numbers. It was never a vehicle just for Acker's playing, and although his mic was turned up for balance, he was balanced properly with his fellow players.
Now, he did not have their drive or technical prowess, but everything he did was tasteful and worked quite nicely, and, after all he is 82 years old.
He sang four or five numbers very nicely (exceptionally so for a man of his age) and he told several very good jokes.
All in all he was completely delightful and his band was simply superb.
I'm a convert, but I cannot listen to those LPs again - they are a travesty of his real ability.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2011-09-19 14:28
Saw him on a 1976 edition of Top of the Pops only last week ('Aria') and noticed he was playing a Selmer Series 9. A few years ago he was seen on a BBC 4 documentary with a Yamaha Custom (not sure which model).
I assumed he was a B&H player.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-09-20 00:10
Although Pete Fountain does not have the reputation for syrupy that Acker has, I was still astounded when I managed a front row seat in front of his stage a few years ago.
He is a top flight virtuoso, and his fingers fly. He has what seems to be a bottomless collection of riffs that he can draw from. Zoowee.
Respect!
Bob Phillips
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Author: ned
Date: 2011-09-20 06:22
Bob Phillips writes: ''......Although Pete Fountain does not have the reputation for syrupy that Acker has, I was still astounded when I managed a front row seat in front of his stage a few years ago.''
I thought the subject of this topic was Acker Bilk?
I'm very happy for you Bob in obtaining front row seats to PF - I got the same for Woody Herman when he visited Australia - unfortunately the spit was flying from his out of shape chops, and I had to dodge and weave to stay dry!
As for Acker Bilk - I saw him too, when he visited Australia years ago. His band had changed direction from a New Orleans based outfit to a fairly mainstream bent - he used guitar and had added an alto sax.
It was a good performance, although his gags were exactly the same as those he used in New Zealand, because, I later bought the LP from his Kiwi tour.
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Author: donald
Date: 2011-09-20 06:43
I remember him touring NZ when i was about 11 years old.... I remember thinking he wasn't as good as the Henry Arland LP i had- "Klarinette in Gold". In 2001 i went into a music shop in Hamburg and saw Arland performing folk music with his sons on a video screen, and oh boy his playing had suffered the ravages of time.
Acker aint doing so bad- getting better with age!
dn
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Author: graham
Date: 2011-09-20 07:17
His line up was trumpet, trombone, clarinet, piano, double bass, and drums. They played in a totally trad style, but not the "comedy trad" of the British 1950s rennaisance, but a style that was much more back in the late teens and early twenties. My guess is that the jokes and chosen numbers don't vary much from gig to gig as he must reckon that people will come and see him just one time in every thirty years (so any gig now is the last one for any audience member).
The clarinet had a silver bell ring. I have seen a 70s photo of Bilk with a 1010 but it seemed like an isolated example.
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